Your Daily Calories
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Calorie Calculator — Daily Needs
Calculate daily calorie needs by age, activity and goal. Personalized macro breakdown based on Mifflin-St Jeor. Free, instant results.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Ivan IbáñezNº Col. 17/05487Mar 10, 2026
CalcVita. (2026). Calorie Calculator — Daily Needs. CalcVita. Retrieved August 31, 2026, from https://calcvita.com/en/calculators/calorie
Suggested article
How Many Calories Do I Really Need? The Science Behind the Calculation
Learn how we calculate your daily calorie needs, why the 3500-kcal rule is outdated, and how to set a safe deficit based on the latest science.
Read the full article →How does this calculator work?
This calorie calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1990), which is recommended by the American Dietetic Association as the most reliable formula for estimating resting metabolic rate. Studies show it is accurate in approximately 82% of cases. It calculates your BMR, applies an activity multiplier to estimate TDEE, and then adjusts for your specific goal (weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain).
How is it different from TDEE?
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) tells you how many calories you burn per day. This calorie calculator goes further: it tells you how many calories to eat based on your personal goal, provides a macro breakdown (protein, carbs, fat), and estimates a realistic timeline to reach your target weight.
What deficit is safe?
The NIH recommends a deficit of 500-1000 kcal/day for sustainable weight loss (0.5-1 kg per week). Our calculator never recommends below 1200 kcal/day for women or 1500 kcal/day for men, as going lower risks nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, and metabolic adaptation.
Sources
- Mifflin MD et al. (1990) — A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure. PMID 2305711
- Frankenfield D et al. (2005) — Comparison of predictive equations. PMID 15883556
- Hall KD et al. (2011) — Quantification of the effect of energy imbalance on bodyweight. The Lancet
- U.S. Department of Agriculture & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025. 9th ed. December 2020.
Frequently asked questions
- How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
- A safe deficit is 500-750 kcal/day below your TDEE, leading to 0.5-0.75 kg loss per week. Our calculator shows personalized targets based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation recommended by the American Dietetic Association.
- What's the difference between this and a TDEE calculator?
- TDEE tells you how many calories you burn. This calorie calculator tells you how many to eat based on your specific goal — weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain — with a timeline estimate.
- Is 1200 calories a day enough?
- 1200 kcal/day is the minimum safety floor for women (1500 for men) according to NIH guidelines. Our calculator never recommends below these thresholds regardless of your goal.
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